Refrigerator door construction



March 5, 1957 v. J. KUROWSKI 2,784,044

REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION I Filed June 28. 1954 FIG. I

FIG. 2

HUN N Q5 INVENTOR.

VICTOR J.'KUROWSKI BY v i Hls ATTORNEY nited States Patent REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Victor J. Kurowski, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 28, 1954, Serial No. 439,561

8 Claims. (Cl. 312-214) My invention relates to insulating doors for refrigerator cabinets and more particularly to shelf structures adapted for mounting on such doors.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door shell structure.

=It is another object of my invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door shelf structure in which the need for screws, clamps, or other fastening means is obviated, the supporting means for the shelves being formed as integral parts of the shelves and the door liner.

:It is a further object of my invention to provide a new and improved refrigerator door shelf structure in which the shelves are supported on the door solely through their engagement with the inner liner thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door shelf structure including adjustable shelves which may be selectively positioned at a plurality of vertically spaced positions along said door.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerator door shelf structure in which the shelves are attached firmly to the door when mounted thereon but yet may be readily removed for cleaning or to change their position.

My invention also has as its object the provision of a refrigerator door shelf structure which is inexpensive to fabricate and assemble.

The shelf structure of my invention is particularly adapted for use with a refrigerator door of the type having an outer shell and a recessed inner liner. The shelf structure includes at least one storage shelf and this shelf is provided with an upstanding or vertical front guard. In carrying out my invention 1 provide improved means for supporting the storage shelf within the recess of the liner, these improved supporting means being formed integrally with the door and the shelf and being adapted to releasably mount the shelf at a plurality of vertically spaced positions in the recess. In my preferred embodiment these means include a row of vertically spaced bosses formed integrally with each side wall of the recess adjacent the front edge thereof, the bosses of one row being horizontally aligned with the bosses of the other row. Further included in the supporting means as an integral part of the door are at least one row and preferably a plurality of rows of vertically spaced depressions. These depressions are formed within the recess rearwardly of the bosses and open outwardly toward the front of the recess. Like the bosses the depressions of the various rows are horizontally aligned. To support the shelf on the door I provide novel means on the shelf which releasably en gage these bosses and depressions, these means according to my invention being formed as integral parts of the shelf. These means include a hooked upper edge provided on the front guard of the shelf, which edge is adapted to fit over opposite bosses in the rows thereof, the rear edge of the shelf itself, which is adapted to ice fit into opposite depressions of the rows thereof, and slots provided in the side edges of the shelf, which are adapted to fit around the bosses next below those engaged by the hooked edge of the guard. When the shelf is placed in position within the door recess, the engagement between the hooked upper edge and the bosses it fits over provides a front support for the shelf; the engagement between the rear edge of the shelf and the depressions provides a rear support for the shelf; and, the engagement between the edges of the slots and the bosses they surround prevents movement of the shelf transverse to the door. By this means the shelf is firmly but yet removably supported on the door without any screws, clamps, or other fastening means being required. Moreover, by removing it from one set of bosses and depressions and re-engaging it with another set, the shelf may be mounted at any of a plurality of vertically spaced positions along the door.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view of a refrigerator cabinet having an insulated door in which is incorporated a preferred embodiment of my new and improved shelf structure.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. l I have illustrated therein a refrigerator cabinet 1 in which upper and lower food storage compartments 2 and 3 are defined by suitable insulated walls. These storage compartments are refrigerated or cooled by a mechanical refrigerating systerm (not shown). Access to the storage compartments is provided by means of an insulated door 4 which is mounted to pivot on a vertical axis by means of hinges 5 and 6. When the door 4 is moved to the closed position, a gasket 7 mounted thereon contacts the cabinet so as to seal off the storage compartments from the atmosphere. If desired a second or inner door may also be provided for the upper compartment 2 in order that it may be maintained at a different temperature than the lower compartment 3.

As may be better seen by reference to Fig. 2 the main outer door 4 is of the type having an outer shell and an inner liner including a recess. More specifically, the door 4 includes an outer wall or shell 8 and an inner wall or liner 9, and the inner liner in its lower portion is provided with a large central recess 10. The outer shell 8 is preferably formed of sheet metal, but the inner panel 9 is preferably formed of a plastic heat insulating material, as for example high impact polystyrene. The reasons why a plastic inner liner is preferred will become more apparent hereinafter. The space between the inner and outer walls is filled with suitable insulating material 11 and although in my preferred embodiment they are joined directly together, they may if desired be connected at their edges by means of a suitable insulating breaker strip.

In addition to the aforementioned recess 10 the inner liner 9 also includes two recesses 12 and 13 in the top portion thereof. In my preferred embodiment these recesses 12 and 13 are particularly adapted to be utilized for egg storage. Like the reces 10 these upper recesses extend substantially across the inner liner but they are much smaller in height than the lower recess. The bottoms l4 and 15 respectively of the recesses serve as the shelves for supporting the eggs and longitudinal guards 16 and ..I extend across the fronts of the recesses to hold the eggs thereon, These guards 16 and 17 which may be secured to the inner liner in any suitable manner have a waved configuration so that they extend periodically into the recesses to form a plurality of separate pockets each of which individually accommodates an egg. The eggs are placed in their pockets and removed therefrom by passing them over the tops of the guards. The guards are, however, sufiiciently spaced from the bottoms of their recesses that the eggs cannot possibly fall out once placed therein.

The large lower recess is, however, unlike these upper recesses 12 and 13 in that it is not provided specifically for the purposes of accommodating only one type of foodstuff. Rather it is intended to provide an additional storage space in which shelves may be mounted for supporting various different types of foodstuffs. As will now be pointed out, by my invention I have provided a new and improved shelf structure whereby a plurality of shelves may be supported in a door recess, such as the recess 10.

As may be seen in the diagram the recess 24 includes a rear wall 13 and right and left side walls 19 and 2d, the side walls extending substantially at right angles to the rear wall. Although such is not necessary to my invention, in the preferred embodiment illustrated the side walls 19 and 29 extend outwardly beyond the principal face 21 of the liner 9 on which the gasket 7 is mounted. By this outward extension of the side walls 19 and 2d a deeper recess is provided and thereby the available storage space is increased.

By my invention the means for supporting door shelves within the recess 10 are formed as integral part of the rear and side walls. Thus there is formed on the left side wall adjacent the frant thereof a row of vertically spaced bosses or protuberances 22. The right hand side wall 19 has a similar row of bosses or protuberances 23 formed thereon, and the bosses 23 are positioned opposite or, more exactly, are horizontally aligned with the bosses 22. Also formed as an integral part of the door within the recess are at least one and preferably a plurality of row of vertically spaced depressions. Specifically, in my preferred embodiment a row of vertically spaced depressions 24 is formed in the left-hand portion of the recess and a similar row of depressions 25 is formed in the right-hand portion of the recess. These depressions are positioned within the recess rearwardly of the bosses and open outwardly toward the front of the recess. Further the depressions 24 in the one row are horizontally aligned with the depressions 25 of the other row.

It will be noted that in my preferred embodiment the row of depressions 24 is formed immediately adjacent the side wall 2% and the row of depressions 25 is formed immediately adjacent the side wall 19. Specifically these rows of depressions are formed in the rear wall 18 of liner 9 or even more exactly are respectively formed on upstanding corner pieces 26 and 27 of the rear wall which join it respectively to the side walls 26 and 19. It will be understood, however, that some variation may be made in the position of these rows of depressions 24 and 25; for example they could obviously be formed in the principal flat surface of the rear wall 18.

In my preferred embodiment the top edge of the depressions 24 and 25 are spaced rearwardly of the bottom edges thereof since this configuration, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, facilitates the mounting of shelves on the door. This configuration of the depressions 24 and 25 may be clearly seen in Fig. 3 wherein the depressions 24 are illustrated by way of example. As there shown the upper edges 28 of the depressions are spaced F considerably back or rearwardly of the bottom edges 29 of the depressions. In other words, the bottom edges 29 extend further out into the recess 10 than the top edges 28. In my preferred embodiment this is accomplished by slanting the portions 30 of the corner piece 26 lying be- 4 tween the depressions, but it should be understood that any suitable configuration of the corner pieces or the liner itself could be used to cause the bottom edges to jut out further than the top edges.

In the illustrated embodiment both the rows of bosses 22 and 23 and both the rows of depression-s 24 and 25 contain a break therein somewhat above their center portion. More specifically the top two bosses in each row and the top depression in each row are spaced somewhat away from the bosses and depressions next below, or in other words they are spaced further away than the normal spacing of the rows. This spacing is done in order to allow for the forming of raised portions 31 and 32 on the rear wall 18 of the recess. These raised portions 31 and 32 are formed in order to provide a space for accommodating a latch mechanism within the door. When a right-hand opening door, such as is here illustrated, is used, the latch mechanism is mounted behind the raised portion 32 whereas when a left-hand opening door is used, the latch mechanism is mounted behind the "lefthand portion 31. An aperture is also provided in the liner to allow "the latch strike (not shown) mounted on the cabinet to engage the latchmechanism, the position of this aperture depending upon whether a right-hand or left-hand opening door is used. In the illustrated righthand opening door the aperture 33 is provided inorder that the strike may engage the latch mechanism.

It should be understood, however, that although I have shown and described these raised portions 31 and 32 for accommodating the latch mechanisms, they are not absolutely necessary to my invention. With certain small latches the raised portions might be completely omitted from the liner since even without them there would be sufficient "space between the liner and the outer shell to accommodate the small latches. In that case, of course, there would be no break or spacing in the rows of bosses and depressions.

In addition to forming the supporting mean for the door shelves as integral parts of the door liner so also by my invention 1 provide novel door shelves which are so constructed that they engage the supporting means directly to be supported thereby without any screws, clamps, or other fastening means being required. In other words by my invention I form novel means integrally with the door shelves, which means engage the bosses and depression of the door liner to support the shelves within the recess 10.

Referring to the diagram there is shown therein a shelf 34 formed according to my invention. This shelf includes a horizontal shelf portion 35 and an upstanding front or guard portion 36. The means for attaching this shelf to the supporting means of the liner comprise the rear edge of the shelf itself, slots formed in the side edges of the shelf portion adjacent the guard portion and a hooked upper edge provided on the guard portion. Specifically in my preferred embodiment a rounded rear rim 37 is provided at the back edge of the shelf, which rim is adapted to fit into the depressions 24 and 25. Slots 33 and 39 are provided respectively in the left-hand and right-hand side edges of the shelf portion 35 adjacent the guard portion 36, the slots being adapted to fit around the bosses 22 and 23. The slot 38, for example may be clearly seen in Fig. 3. And the front guard 36 is provided with a U-shaped or hooked-over top edge 40, this hooked top edge being adapted to fit over opposite bosses in the rows thereof.

The manner in which these means formed on the shelf engage the bosses and depressions of the panel is clearly shown in Fig. 3. To mount the shelf on the door the rear edge 37 is first inserted into any two horizontally aligned depressions 24 and 25 with the horizontal shelf portion 35 extending above the bosses 22 and 23 positioned directly in front of the depressions engaged by the rear edge 37 and with the hooked portion 40 lying above the bosses next above those bosses.

Then the shelf is rotated downwardly using its rear edge 37 as a pivot until the slots 38 and 39 fit around the bosses 22 and 23 immediately in front of the depressions accommodating the rear edge and the hooked-over edge 40 fits over the bosses 22 and 23 next above those engaged by the slots 38 and 39, the rear edge 37 perhaps moving slightly further into the depressions 24 and 25 during the process. The spacing of the top edges of the depressions rearwardly of the bottom edges allows this rotational movement to occur without bending and thus without undue force being required. When the shelf is rotated to its final position the engagement between the hooked upper edge 40 of the guard portion and the bosses it fits over provides a front support for the shelf; the engagement between the rear edge 37 and the depressions 24 and 25 provide a rear support for the shelf; and the engagement between the slots 38 and 39 and the bosses engaged thereby, i. e. the bosses next below those engagedly the hooked edge 40, prevent movement of the shelf transverse to the door. Thus by my invention the shelf is not only supported at two points but also means are provided which prevent it from springing off or out of those supports upon slamming of the door.

Although the shelf 34 is thus firmly supported on the door, it may be removed therefrom simply by following the reverse of the procedure outlined above. In other words, to remove the shelf -it is rotated upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 until the slots 38 and 39 clear their bosses and the hooked upper edge 40 clears its bosses and then the rear edge is removed from the depressions 24 and 25. The shelf may then later be returned to the same position in the door or may be mounted at any other position therealong. In fact the shelf may be supported at as many positions along the door as there are depressions in the rows thereof. In any of its positions the rear edge will engage opposite depressions in the rows thereof to provide a rear support for the shelf, the hooked upper edge will engage opposite bosses to provide a front support for the shelf and the slots in the horizontal shelf portion will engage the bosses next below those engaged by the hooked upper edge to prevent lateral movement of the shelf.

It will be noted that in my preferred embodiment I have provided upstanding lip means around the slots 38 and 39. As may be seen for example in Fig. 3 the slot 38 has formed thereon an upstanding lip or flange 41 on its inner side and a similar upstanding lip or flange 42 on its outer side. These upstanding lips are desirable in order to prevent cutting of the bosses by the edges of the slot both during assembly of the shelf onto the door and during the use thereof. Through the provision of these lips the edges of the slot are prevented from biting into the bosses 22 and 23 so as to cut or otherwise mar them.

It should also be noted that the hooked upper edge 40 provided at the top of the front guard need not necessarily extend thereacross. Rather it could be divided into two segments, one formed at the extreme left-hand end of the shelf and one formed at the extreme light-hand end of the shelf. Even with the hooked edge divided into two separate portions the same engagement with the bosses 22 and 23 will be effected as when a continuous hooked portion is provided completely across the top of the front guard. Also it will be seen that in my preferred embodiment the hooked upper edge 40 includes an outwardly bent portion 43 at its lower end. By such a bent lower end being provided on the hooked edge 40 it is prevented from biting into or scratching the bosses during both the mounting and the removal of the shelf from the door. The hooked upper edge 40 also includes an inclined portion 44 which spaces it somewhat inwardly from the main surface of the front guard 36. This inclined portion 44 acts as a guide effective to cam the hooked edge 40 firmly onto the bosses 22 and 23 as the shelf reaches its final position on the door; and the spacing provided by inclined portion 44 is desirable because during assembly it allows additional clearance betweeri the main surface of the guard portion 36 and the bosses over that which would be availableif the hooked edge were not spaced from the main surface.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and I, therefore, aim by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a shelving arrangement for use with refrigerator door of the type having an outer shell and an inner liner including side and rear walls defining a recess, and including at least one storage shelf having an upstanding front guard, that improvement comprising supporting means formed integrally with said door and said shelf and adapted to releasably mount said shelf at a plurality of vertically spaced positions within said recess, said means including a row of ven'tcally spaced bosses formed integrally on each side wall of said recess adjacent the front thereof, with said bosses of one row being horizontally aligned with said bosses of the other row, a plurality of rows of vertically spaced depressions formed in said door within said recess with the depressions of each of said rows being horizontally aligned with the depressions of the other row, said depressions being positioned rearwardly of said bosses and opening outwardly toward the front of said recess, an inwardly hooked upper edge formed on said front guard of said shelf and adapted to fit over opposite bosses in said rows thereof to effect a front support for said shelf, the rear edge of said shelf being adapted to removably fit into horizontally aligned depressions in said :rows thereof to effect a rear support for said shelf, and slots formed in the opposite side edges of said shelf adapted to fit around and engage bosses in said rows thereof next below said bosses engaged by said hooked upper edge to prevent movement of said shelf transverse to said door, whereby said shelf may be selectively and removably mounted within said recess at any position along said rows of integral bosses and depressions formed in said door.

2. The combination of claim 1 including upstanding lip means formed on said shelf around said slots to prevent cutting of said bosses by the edges of said slots both during mounting of said shelf on said door and during the use thereof.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the top edges of said depressions are spaced rearwardly of the bottom edges thereof for facilitating the mounting of said shelf, said shelf being mounted on said door by inserting said rear edge of said shelf into said depressions and then rotating said shelf downwardly until said hooked upper edge and said slots engage their respective bosses.

4. The combination of claim 1 including upstanding lip means formed on said shelf around said slots to prevent cutting of said bosses by the edges of said slots, and said depressions in said rows thereof having their top edge spaced rearwardly from their bottom edges for facilitating the mounting of said shelf, said shelf being mounted on said door by inserting said rear edge of said shelf into said depressions and then rotating said shelf downwardly until said hooked upper edge and said slots engage their respective bosses.

5. In a shelving arrangement for use with a refrigerator door of the type having an outer shell and an inner liner including side and rear walls defining a recess, and including at least one storage shelf having an upstanding front guard, that improvement comprising supporting means formed integrally with said door and said shelf and adapted to releasably mount said shelf at a plurality of vertically spaced positions within said recess, said means including, a row of vertically spaced bosses formed integrally on each side Wallv of said recess adjacent. the. front thereof, with said bosses of one row being horizontally aligned with said: bosses of the other row, a row of vertically spaced depressions formed in the rear wall of said recess adjacent each of said side Walls, with said depressions of one of said rows being horizontally aligned with said depressions of the other row, a hooked upper edge formed on said front guard of said shelf and adapted to fit over opposite bosses in said rows thereof toeffect a front support for said shelf, a rounded rear rim formed on said shelf and adapted to. fit into opposite depressions in said rows thereof to effect a rear support for said shelf, and slots formed in the opposite side edges of said shelf and adapted to fit over and engage the sides of the bosses in said rows thereof next below said bosses engaged by said hooked upper edge to prevent movement of said shelf transverse to said door, whereby said shelf may be selectively and removably mounted within said recess at any position along said rows of said integral bosses and depressionsv by inserting said rounded rim in said depressions and then rotating said shelf downwardly until said hooked upper edge and said slots engage their respective bosses.

6. The combination of claim 5 including upstanding lip mean formed on said shelf around said slots to prevent cutting of said bosses by the edges of said slots, and said depressions in said rows thereof having their top edges spaced rearwardly of their bottom edges for facilitating the mounting of said shelf.

7. In a shelving arrangement for use with a refrigerator door of the type having an outer shell and an inner liner including side and rear Walls defining a recess, and including at least one storage shelf having an upstanding front guard, that improvement comprising supporting means formed integrally with said door and said shelf and adapted to releasably mount said shelf at a plurality of vertically spaced positions within said recess, said means including a row of vertically spaced bosses formed integrally on each side wall of said recess adjacent the 8 front: thereof, with said bosses. of. one rowbeing. hurt: zontally aligned with, said bosses of the. other row, at least one: row of vertically spaced depressions formed. in said: door; within said, recens;..said depressions being positioned 'rearwardlyof said bosses and opening outwardly toward the front of said recess, an inwardly hooked upper edge formed on said front guard of said shelf and adapted to fit over opposite bosses in said rows thereof to eflec't a front support for said shelf, the rear edge of said shelf being adapted to removably fit into a depression in said row thereof to effect a rear support for said shelf, and slots formed in the opposite side edges of said shelf adapted to fit around and engage. the bosses in said rows thereof next below said bosses engaged by said hooked upper edge to prevent movement of said shelf transverse to said door, whereby said shelf may be selectively and removably mounted within, said recess at any position along said rows of integral bosses and depressions formed in said door.v

8. The combination or" claim 7 including upstanding lip means formed on said shelf around said slots to prevent cutting of said bosses by the edges of said slots, and said depression in said row thereof having their top edges spaced rcarwardly from their bottom edges for facilitating themounting of said shelf, said shelf being mounted at various positions on said door by inserting said rear edge of said shelf into said depression and then rotating said shelf downwardly until said hooked upper edge and slots engage their respective bosses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,375,855 OConnor Apr. 1, 1921 2,528,807 Whitney Nov. 7, 1950 2,562,056 Norberg July 24, 1951 2,570.097 Carhary Oct. 2, 1951 2,686,793 Nave Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 421,205 France Sept. 21, 1910 

